Jeffrey Herbst - Böcker

Theories of international relations, assumed to be universally applicable, have failed to explain the creation of states in Africa. There, the interaction of power and space is dramatically different from what occurred in Europe. In States and Power in Africa, Jeffrey Herbst places the African state-building process in a truly comparative perspective. Herbst's bold contention--that the conditions now facing African state-builders existed long before European penetration of the continent--is sure to provoke controversy, for it runs counter to the prevailing assumption that colonialism changed everything. This revised edition includes a new preface in which the author links the enormous changes that have taken place in Africa over the past fifteen years to long-term state consolidation. The final chapter on policy prescriptions has also been revised to reflect the evolution of African and international responses to state failure.

The U.S.-led intervention in Somalia that began in December 1992 is the most significant instance to date of ?peacemaking? by the international community. The heady promise of Operation Restore Hope and the subsequent disappointments have had a resounding impact on the policies of Western governments and the UN as they have tried to cope with human

Economic reform was the most pressing question for African and other Third World countries during the 1980s. In this first full-length examination of the political economy of adjustment in Ghana, Jeffrey Herbst describes the causes of Ghana's dramatic economic decline and reviews the politics of reform that began in 1983. Since Ghana was one of the first African countries to adopt a comprehensive reform program and the one that has sustained adjustment longest, the Ghanaian experience has profound ramifications for debates regarding stabilization and structural change across the continent.  Herbst devotes special attention to the interaction between the type of government and the politics of adjustment, the reaction of interest groups such as urban labor and the peasantry, and the relationship between economic and political change. His extended field research and sophisticated knowledge of the issues involved, both from the economic and political science literature, make this study of importance not only to Africanists, political scientists, economists, and sociologists, but also to government and financial leaders wrestling with economic reform in developing countries.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1993.

State Politics in Zimbabwe by Jeffrey Herbst is a pioneering study of how government decisions are actually made in postcolonial Africa. Herbst begins from the central enigma of African politics: independence gave leaders control over the state, yet African states remain economically weak, institutionally fragile, and vulnerable to pressures from powerful societal groups, from ethnic movements to multinational corporations. Rather than constructing another grand theory of African politics, Herbst focuses on middle-level questions—state autonomy and the locus of decision-making—arguing that only close analysis of state operations can illuminate how leaders balance independence of action with societal constraints.Zimbabwe offers an especially rich case. Emerging from a settler state marked by deep racial inequalities, it inherited a strong bureaucratic apparatus, entrenched White economic power, and volatile relations with South Africa and international capital. Herbst traces how the new government navigated land redistribution, agricultural pricing, mining policy, health delivery, wage setting, and foreign investment, showing where the state acted autonomously and where it was constrained. By combining theory with detailed case studies, State Politics in Zimbabwe develops propositions about how African states allocate resources and manage conflict, offering a framework for comparative analysis across the continent. Both a study of Zimbabwe’s early independence years and a methodological intervention in African political studies, the book demonstrates the value of empirical inquiry into the actual practices of governance.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1990.

Economic reform was the most pressing question for African and other Third World countries during the 1980s. In this first full-length examination of the political economy of adjustment in Ghana, Jeffrey Herbst describes the causes of Ghana's dramatic economic decline and reviews the politics of reform that began in 1983. Since Ghana was one of the first African countries to adopt a comprehensive reform program and the one that has sustained adjustment longest, the Ghanaian experience has profound ramifications for debates regarding stabilization and structural change across the continent.  Herbst devotes special attention to the interaction between the type of government and the politics of adjustment, the reaction of interest groups such as urban labor and the peasantry, and the relationship between economic and political change. His extended field research and sophisticated knowledge of the issues involved, both from the economic and political science literature, make this study of importance not only to Africanists, political scientists, economists, and sociologists, but also to government and financial leaders wrestling with economic reform in developing countries.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1993.

State Politics in Zimbabwe by Jeffrey Herbst is a pioneering study of how government decisions are actually made in postcolonial Africa. Herbst begins from the central enigma of African politics: independence gave leaders control over the state, yet African states remain economically weak, institutionally fragile, and vulnerable to pressures from powerful societal groups, from ethnic movements to multinational corporations. Rather than constructing another grand theory of African politics, Herbst focuses on middle-level questions—state autonomy and the locus of decision-making—arguing that only close analysis of state operations can illuminate how leaders balance independence of action with societal constraints.Zimbabwe offers an especially rich case. Emerging from a settler state marked by deep racial inequalities, it inherited a strong bureaucratic apparatus, entrenched White economic power, and volatile relations with South Africa and international capital. Herbst traces how the new government navigated land redistribution, agricultural pricing, mining policy, health delivery, wage setting, and foreign investment, showing where the state acted autonomously and where it was constrained. By combining theory with detailed case studies, State Politics in Zimbabwe develops propositions about how African states allocate resources and manage conflict, offering a framework for comparative analysis across the continent. Both a study of Zimbabwe’s early independence years and a methodological intervention in African political studies, the book demonstrates the value of empirical inquiry into the actual practices of governance.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1990.

Theories of international relations, assumed to be universally applicable, have failed to explain the creation of states in Africa. There, the interaction of power and space is dramatically different from what occurred in Europe. In States and Power in Africa, Jeffrey Herbst places the African state-building process in a truly comparative perspective. Herbst's bold contention--that the conditions now facing African state-builders existed long before European penetration of the continent--is sure to provoke controversy, for it runs counter to the prevailing assumption that colonialism changed everything. This revised edition includes a new preface in which the author links the enormous changes that have taken place in Africa over the past fifteen years to long-term state consolidation. The final chapter on policy prescriptions has also been revised to reflect the evolution of African and international responses to state failure.

The U.S.-led intervention in Somalia that began in December 1992 is the most significant instance to date of peacemaking" by the international community. The heady promise of Operation Restore Hope and the subsequent disappointments have had a resounding impact on the policies of Western governments and the UN as they have tried to cope with humanitarian emergencies in Rwanda, Bosnia, and elsewhere. However, it is questionable how correct the lessons so quickly derived from the Somalia experience actually were. At the same time, many important organizational and operational innovations during the Somalia exercise have not received sufficient attention. Learning from Somalia is therefore critical if the international community is to respond better to tragedies that threaten millions of human lives.Contributors to this book, many of whom are policymakers who were either in Mogadishu or Washington during the relief missions, examine the intervention in Somalia and draw lessons for future peacekeeping operations. They analyze many aspects of peacemaking that are not well understood, including efforts to rebuild the police force, the dynamics of the economy, the relationship between the military and nongovernmental organizations, and the performance of European armies. The book also discusses international politics surrounding the crisis, especially the relationship between the United States and the UN and the legal justifications for intervention. The concluding chapters discuss the prospects for intervention efforts in light of the Somalia experience.

This book provides a review of recent development in Africa. It reviews NEPAD and the AU and suggests what must be done for African countries to reverse their growth and security trajectories by asking if any African country will establish the prerequisites for sustained high-level growth.

Democracy Works asks how we can learn to nurture, deepen and consolidate democracy in Africa. By analysing transitions within and beyond the continent, the authors identify a 'democratic playbook' robust enough to withstand threats to free and fair elections. However, substantive democracy demands more than just regular polls. It is fundamentally about the inner workings of institutions, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and leadership in government and civil society. It is also about values and the welfare and well-being of its citizens, and demands local leadership with a plan for the country beyond simply winning the popular vote. This volume addresses the political, economic and extreme demographic challenges that Africa faces. It is intended as a resource for members of civil society and as a guide for all who seek to enjoy the political and development benefits of democracy in the world's poorest continent. Finally, it is for donors and external actors who have to face critical decisions––especially after ill-fated electoral interventions such as Kenya 2017––about the future of observer missions and aid promoting democracy and good governance.

The overwhelming challenge that South Africa faces, and has to date failed to address, is unemployment, which falls especially on African youths who were promised a better future after 1994. If the current unemployment challenge is not addressed, it will be impossible to sustainably lift many millions of people out of poverty. How South Africa Works reviews the country's major economic achievements over the past two decades. Through numerous interviews with politicians, business leaders and analysts, it examines the challenges and opportunities across key productive sectors -- including agriculture, manufacturing, services, and mining -- illustrative of the policy challenges that leaders face. It scrutinises the social grant and education systems to understand if South Africa has established mechanisms for people not only to escape destitution but be ready to be employed, and identifies steps that some of South Africa's most notable entrepreneurs have taken to build world-class enterprises. Recognising the essential challenge to cultivate more employers to employ people, How South Africa Works concludes by offering an agenda and active steps for greater competitiveness for government, business and labour.